teaching chicks to go back in and roost at night?

[QChickieMama]

I have 8-week-old chicks in their own 10x10 pen. I've started letting them free-range in the late afternoons, but their instinct to go back home to roost isn't working very well. They go in to another next-door 10x10 pen where the adults are all roosting, or they just wander around in the grass until I come looking for them. I don't remember this happening before with my other chickens.

I guess since these were brooder babies and not hatched under a broody mama, they don't have lessons from mama.

What's a good way to encourage them to go back in to their own pen at night.

 

[saving grace]

I have 8-week-old chicks in their own 10x10 pen. I've started letting them free-range in the late afternoons, but their instinct to go back home to roost isn't working very well. They go in to another next-door 10x10 pen where the adults are all roosting, or they just wander around in the grass until I come looking for them. I don't remember this happening before with my other chickens.

I guess since these were brooder babies and not hatched under a broody mama, they don't have lessons from mama.

What's a good way to encourage them to go back in to their own pen at night.

For me, when I switch my chicks over from their brooder to the main coop, it takes them about three days to get the hang of it.

The only way that works for me is to catch them, one by one, and stick them in the coop. It's annoying, but they always learn fast, and soon they'll all be going into the coop on their own.

 

[QChickieMama]

For me, when I switch my chicks over from their brooder to the main coop, it takes them about three days to get the hang of it.

The only way that works for me is to catch them, one by one, and stick them in the coop. It's annoying, but they always learn fast, and soon they'll all be going into the coop on their own.

Ok. I've had them in their pen for about 2 weeks. That's why I was surprised that they tried to roost in the other adult pen. Silly goons.